El Preterito Y El Imperfecto

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Quizzes Created: 6 | Total Attempts: 56,173
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1. Preterito o imperfecto?

Mr. Martinez broke his leg.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Preterito" because the sentence describes a specific event that happened in the past (Mr. Martinez breaking his leg). The preterite tense is used to talk about completed actions or events that have a specific starting and ending point.

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About This Quiz
Verb Tenses Quizzes & Trivia

This quiz will test your ability to recognize when to use the preterit and the imperfect

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2. Preterito o imperfecto?

The choir was singing.

Explanation

The use of the imperfect tense "Imperfecto" is appropriate in this sentence because it indicates an ongoing action in the past. The phrase "The choir was singing" suggests that the choir was engaged in a continuous activity of singing at a specific time in the past. The imperfect tense is commonly used to describe background actions or habitual actions in the past, which aligns with the context of the sentence.

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3. Preterito o imperfecto?

They drove to town on his VW.

Explanation

The use of the preterite tense is appropriate in this sentence because it indicates a completed action in the past. The sentence states that "they drove to town," implying that the action of driving was completed at a specific point in time. The preterite tense is commonly used to express actions that have a clear beginning and end in the past.

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4. Find the correct verb

Ustedes         ser

Explanation

The correct verb for "Ustedes" (which means "you all" in Spanish) is "eran." This is the past tense form of the verb "ser," which means "to be." Therefore, the correct answer is "eran."

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5. Preterito o Imperfecto?

He left in a black car.

Explanation

The use of the preterite tense "preterito" indicates that the action of leaving in a black car was completed in the past. It suggests that the person left at a specific point in time and emphasizes the completion of the action. The imperfect tense "imperfecto" would imply that the action was ongoing or habitual in the past, which does not fit the context of the sentence. Therefore, the preterite tense is the correct choice in this case.

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6. Preterito o imperfecto?

My grandmother had an accident.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Preterito" because the sentence is describing a past event that happened at a specific point in time. The preterite tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past, while the imperfect tense is used for ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Since the sentence is not indicating any ongoing or repeated action, the preterite tense is the appropriate choice.

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7. Find the correct verb

Tú     ir

Explanation

The correct answer is "ibas" because the question is asking for the correct form of the verb "ir" (to go) for the subject "tú" (you). "Ibas" is the correct conjugation of the verb "ir" in the past tense for the subject "tú".

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8. Preterito o imperfecto?

My friend used to eat a lot.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Imperfecto" because the phrase "used to eat" indicates a habitual or repeated action in the past. The imperfect tense is commonly used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, while the preterite tense is used for completed actions. In this case, the action of eating a lot was a habitual behavior of the friend, rather than a specific event that happened once.

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9. Preterito o imperfecto?

The baby was 12 months old.

Explanation

The use of the imperfect tense "was" suggests that the action of the baby being 12 months old was ongoing or habitual in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing actions, states of being, or habitual actions in the past. In this case, the baby's age is being described as a state of being, which is why the imperfect tense is used.

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10. Preterito o Imperfecto?

It was a sunny day.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Imperfecto" because the imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, while the preterite tense is used for completed actions. In this case, "It was a sunny day" implies that the sunny weather was a continuous state or a habitual occurrence in the past, rather than a specific event that happened and ended. Therefore, the imperfect tense is the appropriate choice to convey this meaning.

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11. Preterito o Imperfecto?

She had blue eyes.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Imperfecto" because the verb "to have" in this context refers to a permanent characteristic or state of the person, rather than a specific action or event that occurred in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, making it the appropriate choice in this case.

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12. Find the correct verb

Ellos       estar

Explanation

The correct verb to fill in the blank is "estuvieron." This is because "estuvieron" is the past tense conjugation of the verb "estar" (to be) in the third person plural form (ellos).

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13. Preterito o imperfecto?

It was 7:15 in the morning.

Explanation

The use of the imperfect tense "imperfecto" in this sentence suggests that the time being referred to is a habitual or ongoing action in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions that were not completed or have no specific beginning or end. In this case, "It was 7:15 in the morning" indicates a general time frame rather than a specific event, making the imperfect tense the appropriate choice.

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14. Ayer nosotros ____________________en Casey´s. (comer)

Explanation

The correct answer is "comimos" because it is the first person plural preterite form of the verb "comer" which means "to eat". In this sentence, it is indicating that "we ate" at Casey's.

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15. Find the correct verb

nosotros   hacer

Explanation

The correct answer is "hicimos" because it is the past tense form of the verb "hacer" when referring to "nosotros" (we).

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16. Find the correct verb

él    ir

Explanation

The correct verb form for "ir" in the past tense is "fue."

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17. El dragón ________________buscando un árbol de Navidad perfecto. (estar)

Explanation

The correct answer is "estaba" because the sentence is in the past tense and the verb "estar" needs to be conjugated accordingly. In this case, "estaba" is the past tense conjugation of "estar" for the third person singular pronoun "el dragón". This indicates that the dragon was in the process of searching for a perfect Christmas tree in the past.

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18. Find the correct verb

Yo poner

Explanation

The correct verb form for "Yo poner" is "puse." This is the first-person singular form of the verb "poner" in the past tense. It is used when referring to an action that the speaker (Yo) performed in the past.

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19. Cuando ella era una niña ella _________________________con muñecas. (jugar)

Explanation

Cuando ella era una niña, ella solía jugar con muñecas. La forma verbal "jugaba" concuerda en tiempo y persona con el sujeto "ella" y el verbo "jugar". Además, el uso del pretérito imperfecto indica una acción habitual o repetida en el pasado, lo cual es coherente con el contexto de la frase.

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20. Find the correct verb

tu hermana       estar

Explanation

The correct answer is "estaba." This is the correct form of the verb "estar" in the past tense, singular form, for the subject "hermana" (sister).

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21. Find the correct verb

tu  conducir

Explanation

The correct form of the verb "conducir" in the second person singular preterite tense is "condujiste." This form is used when referring to the action of driving that was performed by the person being addressed.

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22. Find the correct verb

Mi abuelo     ver

Explanation

The correct answer is "vio". In Spanish, the verb "ver" means "to see". The subject "mi abuelo" is in the third person singular, so the correct conjugation of the verb is "vio".

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23. Él se _____________________la pierna. (romper)

Explanation

The correct answer is "rompio". In Spanish, the verb "romper" means "to break". The subject of the sentence is "él" which means "he". Therefore, the correct conjugation of the verb in the past tense is "rompió". This form matches with the subject and completes the sentence correctly.

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24. El dragón ___________________caramelos en la corona. (pegar)

Explanation

The correct answer is "pego" because it is the correct conjugation of the verb "pegar" in the first person singular form. In this sentence, "El dragón pego caramelos en la corona," it means "The dragon stuck candies on the crown." The verb "pegar" means "to stick" or "to glue," and when conjugated in the first person singular form, it becomes "pego."

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25. Todos los veranos ellos ___________________las montañas con su familia. ( visitar) 

Explanation

En esta oración, se utiliza el verbo "visitar" en la tercera persona del plural del pretérito imperfecto del indicativo, "visitaban". Esto indica que en el pasado, ellos solían visitar las montañas todos los veranos con su familia.

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26. Él ______________________no cortar el árbol de Navidad. (decidir)

Explanation

The correct answer is "decidió" because it is the correct conjugation of the verb "decidir" in the third person singular form (él/ella). In this sentence, it is used to express that "he" made the decision not to cut the Christmas tree.

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27. El dragón _________________una corona de caramelos. (hacer)

Explanation

The correct answer is "hizo" because it is the third person singular preterite form of the verb "hacer" in Spanish. In this sentence, "El dragón" is the subject and "una corona de caramelos" is the direct object. The verb "hizo" agrees with the subject and indicates that the dragon performed the action of making the crown of candies in the past.

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28. Los estudiantes _______________________mucho en la escuela ayer. (trabajar)

Explanation

The correct answer is "trabajaron." In Spanish, the verb "trabajar" means "to work." The sentence is in the past tense, indicated by the use of the word "ayer" (yesterday). The subject of the sentence is "los estudiantes" (the students), which is plural. In Spanish, when referring to a plural subject in the past tense, the verb ending changes to "-aron" for regular -ar verbs. Therefore, "trabajaron" is the correct conjugation of the verb "trabajar" for the subject "los estudiantes" in the past tense.

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29. Nosotros siempre _________________en la escuela pero ya no. (comer)

Explanation

The correct answer is "comíamos". In this sentence, the subject "nosotros" (we) is being referred to, and the verb "comer" (to eat) is used in the past tense. The conjugation of "comer" in the past tense for the subject "nosotros" is "comíamos". This indicates that in the past, "we" used to eat at school, but not anymore.

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30. Find the correct verb

Ella estaba

Explanation

The correct answer is "comiendo". In Spanish, the verb "comer" means "to eat". The word "comiendo" is the present participle form of the verb, which translates to "eating" in English. The sentence is in the past tense, so "estaba" indicates the action was ongoing in the past. Therefore, "Ella estaba comiendo" means "She was eating".

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31. Traslate to Spanish

It was a perfect tree.

Explanation

The given answer, "Era un arbol perfecto," is the correct translation of the English sentence "It was a perfect tree" into Spanish. The verb "era" is the past tense of the verb "ser," which means "to be." "Un arbol perfecto" translates to "a perfect tree." Therefore, the answer accurately conveys the meaning of the original sentence in Spanish.

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32. Traslate to Spanish

He was not feeling sad.

Explanation

The correct answer is "El no se sentia triste" because it accurately translates the English sentence "He was not feeling sad" into Spanish. The verb "sentia" means "was feeling" in the past tense, and "triste" means "sad." The subject pronoun "El" refers to "he" in English.

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33. Traslate to Spanish

The dragon looked at his tree from his window.

Explanation

The given answer is the correct translation of the English sentence "The dragon looked at his tree from his window" into Spanish. It accurately conveys the meaning of the original sentence, indicating that the dragon observed his tree while being inside his house and looking through the window.

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34. Traslate to Spanish

A day in December the dragon had an idea.

Explanation

The given answer is a correct translation of the given sentence from English to Spanish. It accurately captures the meaning and maintains the grammatical structure of the original sentence.

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35. Traslate to Spanish

The tree had beautiful branches.

Explanation

The given answer correctly translates the English sentence "The tree had beautiful branches" into Spanish as "El arbol tenia ramas hermosas." It maintains the same meaning and structure of the original sentence, accurately conveying that the tree possessed attractive branches.

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36. Traslate to Spanish

After eating all the candy the dragon had a big stomach ache.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Después de comer todos los caramelos el dragón tuvo un dolor de estómago grande." The sentence correctly translates to "After eating all the candy, the dragon had a big stomach ache." The use of "después de" indicates the sequence of events, "comer todos los caramelos" translates to "eating all the candy," "el dragón" means "the dragon," "tuvo" means "had," "un dolor de estómago grande" translates to "a big stomach ache." The second option "Después de comer todos los caramelos el dragón tuve un grande dolor de estómago" is incorrect because the adjective "grande" should come before the noun "dolor" to properly describe it.

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37. Traslate to Spanish

The branshes danced with the wind every day.

Explanation

The given answer is correct because it accurately translates the sentence "The branches danced with the wind every day" into Spanish. It maintains the same meaning and conveys that the branches were moving or swaying in a dance-like manner due to the wind on a daily basis.

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38. Traslate to Spanish

When he went to cut a tree it was very cold.

Explanation

The given answer accurately translates the English sentence "When he went to cut a tree it was very cold" into Spanish. It maintains the correct verb tense and word order, and accurately conveys the meaning of the original sentence.

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39. Traslate to Spanish

The dragon returned with garlands and bells. (regresar)

Explanation

The given answer accurately translates the sentence "The dragon returned with garlands and bells" into Spanish as "El dragon regreso con guirnaldas y campanas." The verb "regreso" is the correct conjugation of the verb "regresar" (to return) in the third person singular form. The sentence also includes the appropriate translation for "with" (con) and accurately conveys the idea that the dragon brought garlands and bells.

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40. Translate to Spanish

The dragon was always loosing his mittens.

Explanation

The answer is correct because both translations accurately convey the same meaning. In Spanish, the word order can be flexible, so both "El dragon siempre perdia sus mitones" and "El dragon perdia siempre sus mitones" are grammatically correct and mean "The dragon always lost his mittens."

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Preterito o imperfecto?Mr. Martinez broke his leg.
Preterito o imperfecto?The choir was singing.
Preterito o imperfecto?They drove to town on his VW.
Find the correct...
Preterito o Imperfecto?He left in a black car.
Preterito o imperfecto?My grandmother had an accident.
Find the correct verbTú     ir
Preterito o imperfecto?My friend used to eat a lot.
Preterito o imperfecto?The baby was 12 months old.
Preterito o Imperfecto?It was a sunny day.
Preterito o Imperfecto?She had blue eyes.
Find the correct verbEllos       estar
Preterito o imperfecto?It was 7:15 in the morning.
Ayer nosotros ____________________en Casey´s. (comer)
Find the correct verbnosotros   hacer
Find the correct verbél    ir
El dragón ________________buscando un árbol de Navidad perfecto....
Find the correct verbYo poner
Cuando ella era una niña ella _________________________con muñecas....
Find the correct verbtu hermana      ...
Find the correct verbtu  conducir
Find the correct verbMi abuelo     ver
Él se _____________________la pierna. (romper)
El dragón ___________________caramelos en la corona. (pegar)
Todos los veranos ellos ___________________las montañas con su...
Él ______________________no cortar el árbol de Navidad. (decidir)
El dragón _________________una corona de caramelos. (hacer)
Los estudiantes _______________________mucho en la escuela ayer....
Nosotros siempre _________________en la escuela pero ya no. (comer)
Find the correct verbElla estaba
Traslate to SpanishIt was a perfect tree.
Traslate to SpanishHe was not feeling sad.
Traslate to SpanishThe dragon looked at his tree from his...
Traslate to SpanishA day in December the dragon had an idea.
Traslate to SpanishThe tree had beautiful branches.
Traslate to SpanishAfter eating all the candy the dragon had a big...
Traslate to SpanishThe branshes danced with the wind every day.
Traslate to SpanishWhen he went to cut a tree it was very cold.
Traslate to SpanishThe dragon returned with garlands and bells....
Translate to SpanishThe dragon was always loosing his mittens.
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